1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control system and method of a movable medical equipment, and in particular to a movable medical equipment that is combined with a depth camera, an environment data storage device, and an object image recognition device for driving the medical equipment to move along a predetermined guide path in an environmental space. The movable medical equipment is further provided with collision protection function to prevent the medical equipment from collision with a front obstacle during the movement.
2. The Related Arts
X-ray imaging devices have been commonly used in regular modem medical examinations. In addition to fixed X-ray imaging devices, there are also movable X-ray machines that are designed for easy use in multiple environments. The movable X-ray machines help prevent a patient who is heavily sick or has difficult in moving from being moved between wards and an examination chamber for photographing in order to reduce any potential damage caused during the patient being moved or any potential risk to the lives of people who are heavily ill.
A conventional movable X-ray imaging device, although having a size and weight that are smaller than a fixed device, requires complicated accessories and thus has quite a weight and size, which greatly affect the flexibility and efficiency of moving. An operator, when moving an X-ray imaging device, is easy to have the eyesight blocked by the bulky size and it is even much easier for controlling the device being difficult due to the great weight thereof so that it is generally hard to tell if a person or an obstacle existing in front thereof and it is often impossible to immediately stop or change direction because of the difficult control resulting from the heavy weight upon realizing such existence of the person or obstacle. The X-ray machines are generally of high prices and expenditure for repairing is expensive once the machine gets damaged duo to collision. In addition, it is even worse if a person or a child standing in front is hit and hurt.
Further, a movable X-ray imaging device is generally used in hospitals or clinics. Large-sized hospitals have the highest frequency of using the device. However, for a large-sized hospital, there are usually a large number of departments, diagnosis rooms, and wards, in addition to examination chambers, surgery rooms, and treatment rooms, where X-ray machines are necessarily used. There are also a lot of people walking and moving in a large-sized hospital, so that if an operator is not familiar with a specific moving route or the entire environment, it is possible to have the movement of X-ray equipment to a correct site severely delayed, affecting timely treatments of patients. Another situation would be that movement to an incorrect inspection site may result, leading to incorrect photographing of patients. This may even cause erroneous treatments.
To help an operator to move an X-ray imaging device along a correct path in an efficient, quick, and safe manner, it becomes an issue of development and research of those involved in the field to provide a solution that overcomes the above problems of the known devices.